Three long-time aircraft-spotters from the Netherlands show you a selection of pictures out of their personal collections. Especially featured is the memorable Republic (R) F-84F Thunderstreak / Thunderflash fighter bomber and recce aircraft.

BEST HIT was a NATO competition in which the air forces of Italy, Greece and Turkey took part ( together with a joint “guest-team” assembled from USAFE´s 401 Tactical Fighter Wing ,Torrejon, Spain and U.S. Navy squadrons VA-15 and VA-87 , while on deployment to the aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt in the Mediterranean Sea)Read More

In the old days NATO organized several exercises; TWM (Tactical Weapons Meet) was a competition between 2ATAF and 4ATAF (Allied Tactical Air Force). In 1972 it was held for the 10th time and participants at Florennes in Belgium were Canadian AF Starfighters (Judge Team), Belgian AF Starfighters) (2nd Wing , Florennes), French AF Mirages (Guest Team, Esc.11/3, Nancy-Ochey) ,W.German AF Starfighters (JBG31, Nörvenich and JBG33, Büchel), R.Neth.AF(311/312 sq., Volkel, Starfighters), Royal Air Force Germany (14/17/31 sq.,Brüggen with Phantoms) and USAF in Europe ( 36TFW, Bitburg and 81TFW, Bentwaters, Phantoms).

On 11-12 July 1972 Frank and Hans were invited to visit the NATO Helicopter Meet that was organized at Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent, in Britain. The flight to and fro was made in Fokker F-27 “C-8” of the K.Lu. Participating to the Meet were delegations from the RAF (Whirlwind helis),Royal Navy (Wessex-helis), USAFE (Huskies), R.Danish Navy (Alouette IIIs), R.Danish Air Force (Sikorsky S-61s), R.Neth.AF (Alouette IIIs) , R.Neth.Navy (Agusta-Bell UH-1s) , French Navy (Alouette IIIs) , WGAF (Bell UH-1s), WGNavy (Sikorsky H-34s) and Italian AF (Agusta-Bell 204Bs).

The 1976 TWM (Tactical Weapons Meet) was the 12th edition of central Europe’s tactical attack competion. It was was held at Twente AB (NL) from 28 April till 15 May , visited by Frank on the 7th and by Hans on the 10th of May. TWM was a contest between teams of 2ATAF (Allied Tactical Air Force) and 4ATAF. The team from 2ATAF consisted of NF-5As of 316 squadron KLu of Gilze-Rijen AB, Mirages of 1 sqn BAFBierset, Starfighters of 1/31 JaBo Luftwaffe from Nörvenich and Phantoms of 31 sqn RAFG. 4ATAF consisted of 1/32 JaBo Luftwaffe, 1 CAG Canada, 22TFS/36TFW USAF and 23TFS/52TFW USAF from Spangdahlem (flying F-4D’s ). The French AF had sent a guest team, 3/13 Escadre from Colmar, equipped with Mirage 5Fs.The chase planes were NF-5Bs of Twente.

On July 17th, 1973 Hans and Frank visited the NATO-AIRSOUTH Fighter Weapons Meet BEST HIT, which was held at Istrana AB in Italy. Competing were teams of USAFE (613 TFS , 401 TFW, Torrejon ,Spain), US Navy (Carrier Attack Wing 7 , USS Independence) , Italian AF (8th Wing , Cervia) , Hellenic AF (341 sq., Nea Anghialos) and Turkish AF (192 sq.,Balikesir) . Photography appeared to be not allowed (!) during their visit and instead all the pictures shown in this gallery were taken by NATO-AIRSOUTH PR-officials during their walk-around along the flight-lines. The slide-scans are duplicates issued to them for publication together with the group-pictures.

From 25 to 29 May 1970 the fourth NATO Helicopter Rescue Meet was organized at the former R.Neth.AF base Ypenburg near The Hague. Hans was invited on the 28th of May to make a photo-report and his pictures are shown in this gallery. The competition brought together rescue-delegations from 7 countries and the winner of the Henri Dunant trophy proved to be the Royal Air Force -team , flying Westland Whirlwind-helicopters. (see also our gallery on the 1972 Heli Meet , then taking place at Lee-On-Solent , U.K.!) (special thanks to Mr. N. Larsen)